CONFERENCE COMMITTEE REP. NO. 31-18

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2018

RE: S.B. No. 2487

H.D. 1

C.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2018

State of Hawaii

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2018

State of Hawaii

Sirs:

Your Committee on Conference on the disagreeing vote of the Senate to the amendments proposed by the House of Representatives in S.B. No. 2487, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HEALTH,"

having met, and after full and free discussion, has agreed to recommend and does recommend to the respective Houses the final passage of this bill in an amended form.

The purpose of this measure is to:

(1) Amend the definition of "quality assurance committee" to make it consistent throughout the Hawaii Revised Statutes (HRS) for the purpose of liability protection; and

(2) Allow for the establishment of a quality assurance committee outside of a single health plan or hospital.

Your Committee on Conference finds that while quality assurance committees are an important and established part of the healthcare delivery system, the term "quality assurance committee" has two separate, inconsistent definitions in the HRS. One definition applies to chapter 624, HRS, relating to depositions and discovery, while the other definition applies to chapter 663, HRS, relating to tort actions. Further, quality assurance committees established under chapter 624, HRS, may be established outside of a single health plan or hospital, whereas quality assurance committees established under chapter 663, HRS, may not. Your Committee on Conference finds that this measure will correct this inconsistency and provide quality assurance committees established under chapters 624 and 663, HRS, with the same confidentiality and liability protections.

Your Committee on Conference has amended this measure by making it effective upon approval.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the managers of your Committee on Conference that is attached to this report, your Committee on Conference is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2487, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Final Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2487, H.D. 1, C.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the managers:

ON THE PART OF THE HOUSE

ON THE PART OF THE SENATE

____________________________ JOHN M. MIZUNO Co-Chair	____________________________ ROSALYN H. BAKER Chair
____________________________ ROY M. TAKUMI Co-Chair	____________________________ JOSH GREEN Co-Chair
____________________________ TY J.K. CULLEN Co-Chair